Intercepting apparatus



NOV. 6, 1945. WQQDLING 2,388,589

INTERGEPTING APPARATUS Filed July 27 1942 IN NTOR. 7

Patented Nov. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERCEPTING APPARATUS George V. Woodling, Rocky River, Ohio Application July 27, 1942, Serial No. 452,403

7 Claims.

My invention relates in general to an intercepting apparatus and moreparticularly to an intercepting apparatus which may be employed to intercept a torpedo in a body of water which is directed to a vessel.

An object of my invention is the provision of an intercepting apparatus which may be employed in cooperation with a boat or vessel to intercept a torpedo which is directed toward the vessel or boat.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a maneuverable net which may be operated from a boat or vessel to intercept a torpedo which is directed towardsthe vessel or the boat.

Another object of my invention is the provision of utilizing submersible, propeller-driven motors for moving a net through the water to intercept a torpedo directed toward a vessel or boat. p

Another object of my invention is the arrangement of a plurality of submersible propellerdriven motors so that the motors may be individually controlled to give any directional movement to the motors through the water. I

Another object of my invention is the provision of controlling a submersible propeller-driven motor at a place distant from the motor, v

While I have described my invention as having utility in connection with intercepting torpedoes, it is to be understood that my invention may be used for other purposes wherein a submersible propeller-driven motor may be controlled at a I place distant from the motor.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing; in which:

torpedo is arranged to be intercepted by intercepting apparatus which comprises generally a net I4 which is moved through the water by two submersible propeller-driven motor units indicated generally by the reference character l2. As illustrated, each of the propeller driven motor units I2 is connected to a control equipment I5 on the boat through means of communicating lines or cables I6. Through the employment of suitable control equipment as indicated generally by the reference character I5, the operator on the boat I ,0 may govern the movement of the submersible propeller-driven motor units in any direction or speed to cause the .net I4 to intercept a torpedo or other object directed toward the boat or vessel.

In the design of thejsubmersible propellerdriven motor units I2, I preferably employ three submersible motors I'I, I8 and I9 which are connected or arranged in a side-by-side and triangular relationship with each other. The two motors I1 and I8 are arranged to be buoyed up by means of a buoyant chamber which provides a streamlined shell for the submerisible Figure 1 shows a plan view of a boat or vessel I 1 having associated therewith my intercepting apparatus for intercepting a torpedo which is directed toward the boat or vessel;

Figure 2 is a modification of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 in that the intercepting apparatus may comprise a series of units as shown in Figure 1 to shield the entire sideof the boat or vessel;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a net and two submersible propeller-driven motor units for moving the net through the water to intercept the torpedo or other object; and

Figure 4 is a slde-elevational view of Figure 3 showing the intercepting apparatus in relation- .ship to the water line of the body of water.

With reference to Figure 1, the reference character It] indicates generally the plan view of a boat towards which a torpedo I3 is directed. The

.with the top of the water.

motors I1 and I8. The buyoant chamber 20 may be reinforced to secure the two motors I 'I and I8 in spaced relationship with each other so that the maneuverability of each of the propellerdriven motor units in a plane with the level of the water may be compared to that of a caterpillar tractor. Thatis to say, one of. the submersible motors, for example I'I, may be driven ina forward direction while the other motor I8, for example, maybe driven in a rearward direction which forcibly turns the entire unit in a plane The third submersible motor I9 is suspended below the buoyant chamber 20 by means of a tubular tie bar 2! so that as the two submersible motors I1 and I8 turn in a plane with the water the tie bar 2| likewise turns I the motor IS in a corresponding direction. In

the event that it becomes desirable to cause the submersible propeller-driven motor units I2 to submergebelowthe level line of the water, then the two submersible motors I1 and I8 are driven in a'forward direction while at the same time the submersible motor I 9 is arrested or driven in a reverse direction which causes the entire unit to dip down under the water. Consequently by variably regulating the speed of the three submersible motors the entire propeller-driven motor unit may be caused to go in any three dimensional directions to give complete maneuverability "thereto.

The submersible motors may be of any suitable type, either the type which employs a water-tight housing through which the propeller shaft is sealed by a suitable seal or the type in which the stator windings are completely made water-tight by a castable resin or any other material which is unaffected by salt water. In a castable resin type of fluid type winding, the entire stator Winding is embedded in the castable resin so that it is just as safe to operate the submersible motors in the Water itisinthea r. h ..m to ts.may e pr vided with relatively :small rotors-wherebithemesistanceto'the rotation in the water is made relatively small as compared to the horsepower of the unit. The submersible motors may be several feet in length and may be characterized ps -log? motors wherein a relatively high, horsepower can be readily developed. In other-wordsfithe sub mersible motors may be of theytype, now employed for operating pumps below the water level in ships or in deep Wells or other places. In Figured the .six small dots or oircles represent the. control .,.to .eachone ofthe submersible motors. Thecurrent for cc n llin 1. the ener ization of t e meters. s arrangedto pass throughthe communicating lines or cableslli toa stand-pipe .whichlisgconnected ,to thebuoyant chamber 20 that-ties the v.two .sul; .mer ble ors .7 and 4. -,t gether. -.As :illustrated in Figure 4, the .t0p .0f .th stand pipeld ,may be provided with a. swivel ZS -inorder ,that ..the turning of the submersible propellerdriven motor units may not damage thecable L6 at .the pointitentersthetop-of the stand-Dwell. The electric cable for energizing therSllbll'lGISiblQ-Hlo- .tor .I=9 is. carried. down through-.theinside. of the hollow tube or tiebarll. .Inaddition ,tocontrolling the motor units by electrical currents...the .b le ant chamber 20 may be likewisecontrolled through suitable fluid pressureconduits or lines to ,aid in. the regulation of the submersing of. the motor units. the net and: the motor unit may-beisubmersed below the waterline as indicated ythe reference character 26 irrFigupe A, maybe controlled by a buoyant action by regulatingthe buoyant chamber :20.as well asby. causing the motor unitto dip ,down under the water'byvarying thespeed. ofthe submersible motors l l and IS with respect tothe submersible motor l9.

As illustrated in Figure .4, each, end of ,thelnetl l 4 vis-anchored-to the tubulai tie bar ,2| .bytmeans of aa pluralityofgspaced collars 23..which engagethe .end wires -of-the net ,and whichencompass the tubular tie bar?! I. The top collaris supportedby a shoulder suitably fastened to thetubular tie bar 2|. The-shoulder ,22lkeeps the, net from slid- .ing down upon the:tubular tie=bar.2 l. The arrangement of the tubular tiebar :2 l and the co1- lar .23. enables the submersible propeller-driven motor units to turn in the-plane ofthewater. JAccordingly in themaneuvering. of the net I.4.to;in- -tercepta torpedo,,the;net may be drivensubstantially-parallel to the boat l0 until it etsinto the 'path of the-approaching torpedo, after which the motor unit may be operated or turned -as:-shown in Figure :-1 to .go vout-tojmeet-the torpedocoming in. The-arrangement of the net :and-the'size :of -themotor unit may be so;pr0portione d that upon the torpedo striking-.the-net, the-torpedowill exeplode ;at a suitablesafe distance -fromtthe boat.

*the torpeddand-change its direction of travelrto miss the boatto w-hich it was 'formerlyd -rected.

Upon the torpedo striking the net M the impact That'is to say,.the depth to which unit to wrap the net l4 about the torpedo so as to destroy its driving force. It is also conceivable that when the net I4 is wrapped around the torpedo, the motor units may be permitted to sink 5 by destroying the buoyancy of the buoyant cham- 9 ,t yation, 'Ihe,prope11ers "of "thamotQr units I 2 --mayb,e enclosed-1 in a sultable -shroud sogthat these propellers do not become entangled in the net upp ,on thetorpedo striking the net.

The unit in Figure 4 is flexible and readily 11:5 maneuverable and may be operated at a relative- ...ly hiEhspeed equal to that of a torpedo by mak- =ing'-thehorsepower of the log motors large. In some; applications, it may be desirable to multiply the units as shown in Figure 4 to make a string of units-asshown in Figure 2 which may be of sufflcient length-,to shield the entire iderof, a, boat as it ,rnovesuthroughlthemater. The-several units-as .shewnlin .Figur may .be.eontrolledra dtdriven through the; electric .cables or lines Irom 331L811?- able control as shown in Figural. BesidesLusln h proneller-flriyemmotorunits for operatin nets .th y. m ybe .usedas ;aitilstorlioreanynther purpose requiring-the movin ofzan object through .thewater.

The cables or lines It in addition to sup lying -,energy. to :the submersible propelleredriven motor units, act-to steady the movementof theenet M. In o her words. the. cables, may i be kept taut so that a..eer.tain.amountotcontrol may be had i ,over -,the movement;,of the ,-submersiblepropeller- .driven .motor units. ,I'he :cables ,may be around abouta reel or a plurality. of. individual reels soras to give individual, control. of, the submersibla ropeller-driven motor units.

.Altho h-Im m: c i ed-myinventiontwith a :certaln degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has -;been mede ronly by way of example andthatlnumerous: chansesain thedetailsorconstruction and the combination :andcarrangementofyparts maybe resorted'to without departing. from the spiritanditheescopexof. the invention.- as hereinaften claimed.

I clai-m .my nvention:

1. vAdrive;nrle hanismi na.body'of liquid,com-

prising, .in combination, :a-first submersibla pelleredriven.motor,la -secondsubmersiblapropeller-driven motor, .means .for .conneoting said .motors =together .in substantially the -.same .hori- .zontal plane and in side-byeside .relationship withlrespechtoeach other,, means for buoyingup said .motorslin -..said body. of liquid, a third subimersible .propelleredriven .motor ,sus'pended be- .low -said first and second tmotorsand connected (therewith, and mean s for individually operating said motors for directingzth movement thereof,

{.6 source of power.

. .2. A.'d1 'ive;mechanism; in.a bodyof; liquidacomprising, 1 in :combination, a first submersible ,pro- ,peller-driven zInOtOl, .a ,second submersible .pro-

peller-driven motor, means .for connecting said motors together in substantially thetsame :horizontal plane and.- inrsideebiesidel relationship .with respect to each other, means forbuoying .upssaid m torsinsaid. body QfJiquid, a third; submersible propeller-drivenrmotonsuspended.below-saidfirst will probably be,terrific,enoughitocausethegnotor .and secondsmQtOraand-mnnected therewith-by a longitudinal member, a net, and means for connecting said net to said longitudinal member, means for individually operating said motors for directing the movement thereof, said operating means including a source of power externally of said buoying-means and at a, point remote therefrom and individual cables aflixed to each of said motors and extending to the source of power.

3. A drive mechanism in a body of liquid comprising, in combination, a first submersible propeller-driven motor, a second submersible propeller-driven motor, means for connecting said motors together in substantially the same horizontal plane and in side-by-side relationship with respect to each other, means for buoying up said motors in said bod of liquid, a third submersible propeller-driven motor suspended below said first and second motors and connected therewith, means for individually operating said motors for directing the movement thereof, said operating means including a source of power externally of said buoying means and at a point remote therefrom and individual cables affixed to each of said motors and extending to the source of power, and a net connected to said motors to intercept an object in said body of liquid.

4. A drive mechanism in a body of liquid com prising, in combination, a plurality of submersible propeller driven motors, means for connecting at least two of said motors together in substantially the same horizontal plane and at a dis tance from and substantially parallel to each other, means for buoying up said connected motors in said body of liquid, tying means for connecting at least another motor at a distance below the said at least two connected motors, and means for individually operating said motors for directing the movement thereof, said operat ing means including a source of power externally of said buoying means and at a point remote therefrom and individual cables afiixed to each of said motors and extending to the source of power.

5. A drive mechanism for moving an object in a body of liquid comprising, in combination, a plurality of submersible propeller driven motors, means for connecting at least two of said motors together in substantially the same horizontal plane and at a distance from and substantially parallel to each other, means for buoying up said connected motors in said body of liquid, tying means for connecting at least another motor at a distance below the said at least two connected motors, and means for individually operating said motors for directing the movement thereof, said operating means including a. source of power externally of said buoying means and at a point remote therefrom and individual cables affixed to each of said motors and extending to the source of power, said ohjeot being connected to said tying means.

6. A drive mechanism in a body of liquid comprising, in combination, a plurality of submersible propeller driven motors, means for connecting at least two of said motors together in substantially the same plane and at a distance from and substantially parallel to each other, means for buoying up said connected motors in said body of liquid, and means for individually operating said motors for directing the movement thereof, said operating means including a source of power externally of said buoying means and at a point remote therefrom and individual cables affixed to each of said motors and extending to the source of power, said submersible propeller driven motors each having a liquidtight winding and being directly submersible in said liquid.

7. A drive mechanism in a body of liquid comprising, in combination, a plurality of submersible propeller driven motors, means for connecting at least two of said motors together in substantially the same plane and at a distance from and substantially parallel to each other, means for buoying up said connected motors in said body of liquid, and means for individually operating said motors for directing the move-.

, ing to the source of power, said submersible propeller driven motors each having a liquid-tight winding and being directly submersible in said liquid, said motors each having a rotor directly rotatably mounted in said liquid.

GEORGE V. WOODLING. 

